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The Law Commission that drafted the Indian Penal Code, which was enacted in 1860, was chaired by:
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Answer: Option A — Thomas Babington Macaulay
Detailed Solution
The First Law Commission, chaired by Thomas Babington Macaulay, drafted the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
About the First Law Commission:
- It was set up in 1834, under the Charter Act of 1833, to codify the laws of British India.
- Macaulay was the law member of the Governor-General's Council and the chairman of the commission.
Other members included J. M. Macleod, G. W. Anderson and F. Millett.
The draft of the Penal Code was completed in 1837 and submitted to the Governor-General.
However, it was not enacted for many years.
Enactment:
- After the Revolt of 1857, the draft was revised by Sir Barnes Peacock and others.
- It was finally enacted on 6 October 1860, and came into force on 1 January 1862.
About the Indian Penal Code:
- It defined crimes and laid down punishments for them, for the whole of British India.
- It was based mainly on English criminal law, but was simplified and adapted to Indian conditions.
- It applied equally to all persons, regardless of religion or caste, replacing the earlier systems based on Islamic and Hindu law.
- It became a model for the penal codes of many other British colonies.
Other codes:
- The Code of Civil Procedure (1859).
- The Code of Criminal Procedure (1861).
- The Indian Evidence Act (1872), drafted by Sir James Fitzjames Stephen.
- The Indian Contract Act (1872).
Replacement:
- In independent India, the Indian Penal Code was in force for more than 160 years.
- It has now been replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (2023), which came into force on 1 July 2024.
About Macaulay:
- He was a British historian, politician and writer.
- He is also famous for his views on education in India (1835).
Why not the other options?
- ✗James Stephen drafted the Indian Evidence Act.
- ✗Henry Maine was a law member and legal scholar.
- ✗Elijah Impey was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at Calcutta.
Quick tip
Remember: Indian Penal Code = drafted by the First Law Commission under Macaulay (1834-37); enacted 1860; in force 1862; replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (in force 1 July 2024).
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British Acts & Policies — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of British Acts & Policies, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the constitutional and administrative acts passed during British rule, from the Regulating Act of 1773 and Pitt's India Act of 1784 to the Charter Acts, the Indian Councils Acts, the Government of India Acts of 1919 and 1935, and the Indian Independence Act of 1947, along with British economic, land revenue and education policies. Exam questions usually ask what a particular act introduced: the Indian Councils Act 1909 introduced separate electorates for Muslims, the Government of India Act 1919 brought dyarchy to the provinces, and the 1935 Act provided for a federation and provincial autonomy. Land revenue systems (Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari and Mahalwari) and education milestones such as Wood's Despatch (1854) are also tested. Practise the British acts and policies questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.